Al-Nasr Dubai SC -

Tue Mar 26 - 13:30

WHAT HAPPENED

We came from behind to beat Al Nasr in Dubai - and for teenage striker Tyreece John-Jules especially, it was the perfect way to round off a successful week.

As well as marking the culmination of our warm weather training camp in the UAE, the game also served as the official opening of the 15,000-capacity Al-Maktoum Stadium.

Our hosts, Al-Nasr, were not expected to provide too testing an opposition but they started the game in determined fashion, and deservedly took the lead after a quarter of an hour.

Chilean forward Fernandez received the ball just outside the area, turned and curled a wonderful effort into the top corner.

We struck the leveller just before half-time. Denis Suarez was the instigator, drifting across the box before releasing the overlapping Jenkinson inside the area who tucked home past the keeper at the second time of asking.

Having made five changes at half-time, and switching to a back three, we took the lead soon after the restart. Ainsley Maitland-Niles strode forward, fed Ozil who flicked the ball behind him to Lacazette, to finish well with his left foot.

Emery then took the chance to introduce three more youngsters – James Olayinka, John-Jules and Jordi Osei-Tutu, allowing Ozil and Lacazette to head to the bench after a good evening's work.

And it was 18-year-old striker John-Jules who got our third. He dispossessed Mohamed Marzouk outside the area, then kept his cool to shift past two more defenders before calmly slotting home.

The academy product has netted 12 times for the youth teams this season, but this one was clearly special, and he celebrated in front of the sizeable Arsenal contingent in the crowd.

Julio Pleguezuelo gave away a late penalty for bringing down Jashak, and Khalid Jalal calmly stroked home from 12 yards to reduce the deficit.

But Arsenal had done enough to round off an excellent week with an entertaining win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

TEAM NEWS

We lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with youngster Xavier Amaechi making his first ever appearance for the first team on the right of attack.

To the delight of the locals, Mesut Ozil was named in a strong looking side, behind Alexandre Lacazette and alongside Denis Suarez on the left.

Academy products Charlie Gilmour and Ben Sheaf comprised the midfield engine room, while the back four was made up of Zech Medley, Dinos Mavropanos, Shkodran Mustafi and Carl Jenkinson. Bernd Leno started in goal.

As for the hosts, the star attraction was former Manchester City and Spain forward Alvaro Negredo.

At half-time we moved to a back three, as Emery introduced Julio Pleguezuelo, Laurent Koscielny, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Petr Cech and for his first appearance - Dominic Thompson at left wing back.

WHAT'S NEXT

This win was a great way to set us up ahead of a hugely important Premier League meeting with Newcastle United at Emirates Stadium on Monday evening.

The warm weather training camp will hopefully also pay dividends as we head into the home straight this season, still fighting for the top four and in the last eight of the Europa League.

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